The birch family includes more than 100 species. They vary in size and appearance. Weeping birch is one of the most beautiful species in the design of household plots, parks and squares.
She has a number of features for care and disembarkation. You should be aware of them before adding a tree to the general landscape.
General characteristics
Weeping birch is a deciduous plant, and is found both as a tree and as a shrub. It has a transparent crown and a predominantly light trunk. There is also a dark color.
The tree is hardy, does not require special soil and is quite frost-resistant.
Weeping birch is characterized by good survival in almost any conditions. Her growth is fast enough.
Reproduction of the species occurs by sowing the seeds contained in her earrings. They change color. Once the seeds are ready to be planted, the earrings will turn brown.
The process of recreating a birch is carried out by releasing shoots. In this case, a multi-barrel system is sometimes formed.
This species is one of the best park plants. Hegives the landscape sophistication and light. The weeping birches shown in the photo will add grace to any site, even when combined with other tree species.
What a weeping birch looks like
The most common variety of weeping birch reaches 25-30 m in height. The trunk is light. The leaves of the tree are oval. The bark has a clear, beautiful pattern that can be seen even from afar.
Weeping birch (photo) has falling shoots that look beautiful and graceful. With age, they gain strength and power, and their number increases.
In the process of planting and care, it should be noted that this species is shade-tolerant and loves moisture.
The popularity of the tree was brought by the beauty of its appearance. Birch looks especially chic in spring, when flowering occurs, and greenery has a bright light shade. Many gardeners and gardeners were able to appreciate the decorative qualities of the plant.
Warty weeping birch
The warty weeping birch is quite common.
It reaches 25 m in height and has a smooth white bark. Young thin branches of the plant are characterized by a red-brown color. They are naked and covered with small growths, which give the tree its name. These resinous birch glands are a feature of this subspecies.
The warty weeping birch acquires a black-gray color at the base with age, and the trunk itself cracks in this area.
This variety looks very aesthetically pleasingon almost any type of terrain.
Birch has multi-colored inflorescences that appear with the blooming of leaves in spring.
This species is in demand in park, alley areas, especially in lawn places. The overall composition looks harmonious.
Dwarf weeping birch
When arranging the territory of a summer cottage or a country house, large varieties of wood are not suitable for everyone. There are special subspecies of weeping birch called dwarf birch.
These include the variety Young (Youngii). Its distinguishing feature is slow growth. The thin branches descending to the ground, which this weeping birch is endowed with, look aesthetically pleasing. Its dwarf form reaches only 6 m in height.
Such a small size of the plant does not at all reduce the decorative appeal of the birch compared to its normal variety.
Perfectly dwarf subspecies suitable for small areas. Young will look good in combination with other deciduous and coniferous trees. However, next to fruit species, birch will restrain their growth.
Birch propagation in the wild
Weeping birch is propagated by seed. However, it is possible to restore the tree by growth. This applies to young specimens.
In the wild, seed reproduction is practically not observed, as the moss cover prevents this.
Weeping birch (photo)is restored on forest tracts only by shoots.
In the event of fires, young trees recover from a stump in a year. This ability has been observed in birch several times.
Most specimens of this breed, especially in mixed forests, are of coppice origin. However, under more favorable conditions, birch still reproduces by seed.
Male flowers develop at the ends of branches. They may winter. In the spring, after waking up, pollen appears in the flowers.
Female flowers (earrings) are shorter than male flowers and are green. They emerge from buds that release short shoots.
Fruits appear on a birch at 10-12 years of age. This is a small lentil-shaped nut that has two membranous wings. The fruits ripen from July to September.
Weeping birch bears fruit profusely every year. They open alternately, which contributes to the ingress of part of the seeds on the soil in the fall. The second part falls on the snow in winter. These seeds end up on the ground in the spring.
Artificial propagation of birch
To grow a weeping birch, you need to collect seeds. This occurs at the time of browning earrings in late autumn. It is allowed to sow in a cold greenhouse in the spring.
Seeds collected in autumn are stored in a glass jar until the required season. In the process of saving material for seedlings, its seedling capacity decreases from 90% to 30% by spring.
When planting, the seeds are sprinkled with earth and rolled. Straw or thin branches are laid out at the sowing site. Watering is carried out through this layer until the first shoots appear.
As soon as the first shoots begin to break through the protective layer, the straw or branches are removed. This is done very carefully so as not to damage the plant. Young shoots shade with a shield.
When wondering how to grow a weeping birch, you should also study information about caring for new shoots. This is quite simple, but it still requires some attention.
Care and transplant of birch
When the seedlings grow up, they are transplanted to the place allotted to them. This is best done when the tree has not crossed the age mark of 7 years, otherwise it will take root worse.
Transplanted in early spring. In the autumn period, the probability of death of an individual is high. If the tree has reached a large size, planting is carried out in winter with a frozen earthen clod on the root system.
Weeping birch variety does not need fertile soil. Therefore, it is planted in sandy, podzolic, chernozem soil, solonetzes and loams.
The best option would be a moist and loose humus soil of a slightly acidic type.
The root system should not be bare. A good earthen clod or container is ideal for transplanting a species such as weeping birch. Planting and care will require a lot of water.
The planting process will be more successful with the use of fertilizers. A mixture of earth with humus and sand is poured into the planting pit. After work, watering is required for 3-4 days. mature treewill consume about 20 buckets of water a day in the summer. Therefore, you should choose a fairly humid place for the life of a birch.
Grafting birch
The most beautiful decorative specimens of trees are obtained by grafting cuttings of another species. The weeping birch is no exception.
Its cuttings can be grafted onto an ordinary tree, and the result will be an aesthetic specimen. They are often found in parks and squares.
There are some tips on how to graft a weeping birch.
The height and shape of the crown of the future tree depends on the place of grafting. Usually grafted plants do not reach the same height as ordinary birches. Therefore, they are often used to decorate small areas.
Decorative small birch species, such as Yoongi, are obtained by grafting a certain type of branches onto an ordinary tree, which create such a “weeping” effect.
This will help to create a unique image of the original birch forms on the site.
How to graft a weeping willow on a birch
When an ordinary birch grows on the site, it will be possible to make a decorative weeping shape from it.
The tree itself will take up less space, and its visual effect will exceed all expectations.
Grafting technology involves a combination of weeping willow cuttings with birch branches or bark. Moreover, it will be possible to create a variety of crown shapes.
There is a certain technique for how to graft a weeping willow on a birch correctly. Work is performed during the movement of juice insidetree. Willow cuttings must be in a dormant state.
The height of the bole is determined by the place of vaccination. The escape is cut off. One, and sometimes several willow cuttings are applied to the tree. They will take root better if the thickness of the joint and shoots match.
Such manipulations can also be done on birch bark.
The joint is tied with a special material. In case of frost, it must be insulated with a layer of non-woven fabric.
The branch takes root by the middle of summer. All this time it is necessary to monitor the condition of the birch, to provide it with proper watering. The tree will turn out very beautiful and original.
Having become acquainted with the varieties and features of such an ornamental tree as weeping birch, everyone can choose for themselves the appropriate plant option for decorating a site or a park. Having mastered the technique of planting, care and grafting, it will be quite easy to create a unique and original image of the landscape.
